This book explores nuclear power plants which stand on the border between humanity's greatest hopes and its deepest fears for the future. Atomic energy offers a clean energy alternative that frees us from the shackles of fossil fuel dependence, while also having lived through the disasters of the quake-ruptured Japanese power plant now spewing radioactive steam, and the dead zone surrounding Chernobyl's concrete sarcophagus. Topics discussed include the investigation of materials and components obtained from nuclear power plants decommissioning; high-temperature gas-cooled reactors; the impact and effects of the ongoing discussion on the nuclear phase-out in Germany; modeling of corrosion product activity in primary circuits of pressurized water reactors and the fundamental stability analysis of hypothetical boiling and pressurized water reactors.

The seismic design criteria applied to sitting commercial nuclear power plants operating in the U.S. received increased attention following the March 11th, 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. Since the events, some in Congress have begun to question whether U.S. plants are vulnerable to a similar threat, particularly in light of the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions's (NRC)ongoing reassessment of seismic risks at certain plant sites. This book presents some of the general design concepts of operating nuclear power plants in order to discuss design considerations for seismic events.

This document is a supplemental safety evaluation report (SSER) for the license renewal application for Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3 (IP2 and IP3) as filed by Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

This report provides technical details applicable to access control methods and technologies commonly used to protect facilities licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It contains information on the application, use, function, installation, maintenance, and testing parameters for access control and search equipment and the implementation of protective measures that support access control. This information is intended to assist licensees in designing, installing, employing, and maintaining access control systems at their facilities.

While it does not forego the seriousness associated with the topic, this book provides for an easy read that informs the reader of a variety of issues associated with the subject. Divided into short chapters, aspects such as technology, resource availability, economics, geopolitics and policies associated with nuclear power are dealt with in detail, but in a way that emphasizes readability. Contentious areas such as safety, waste management and the latest trends associated with them are laid bare for the reader. The book also dwells in depth on the shrill and seldom above-board debate on nuclear power and renewables. This is an invaluable companion for all those looking to understand the nature of the nuclear industry in the new millennium and the implications of international treaties such as the Indo-US nuclear deal.

This report provides information about designing, installing, testing, maintaining, and monitoring intrusion detection systems (IDSs) and subsystems used for the protection of facilities licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

This supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) documents the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff's analysis and conclusions regarding the environmental impacts of constructing and operating two new nuclear units (Units 3 and 4) at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) site near Waynesboro, Georgia, and the mitigation measures available for reducing or avoiding adverse environmental impacts.

This short history of nuclear regulation provides a brief over-view of the most significant events in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's past. Space limitations prevent discussion of all the important occurrences, and even the subjects that are included cannot be covered in full detail. The first chapter of this account is taken from George T. Mazuzan and J. Samuel Walker, Controlling the Atom: The Beginnings of Nuclear Regulation, 1946-1962 (University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1984). The second chapter is largely based on J. Samuel Walker, Containing the Atom: Nuclear Regulation in a Changing Environment, 1963-1971 (University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1992). The third chapter is adopted in significant part from J. Samuel Walker, Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective (University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 2004). The findings and conclusions on events that occurred after 1979 should be regarded as preliminary and tentative; they are not based on extensive research in primary sources.

Global inventories of spent nuclear fuel are expected to increase substantially in future years. Because of the widely accepted international principle of whoever generates the waste also is responsible for its safe and secure disposal, the focus for the long-term management of highly radioactive waste has been on national disposal efforts. The authors of this book examine the variety of international conventions used to help monitor and regulate national radioactive waste management efforts and establish international norms. Furthermore, this book examines the present nuclear fuel cycle, the minor actinides (MAs) which have been generated in light water reactors (LWRs) and which remain in the high-level radioactive waste. The long-term geological disposal of this waste, which may affect the environment, is examined as well. In addition, this book is dedicated to problems of elaboration of technology and apparatus for producing oxygen-free ceramic materials as applied to, predominantly, needs of nuclear power engineering. The promising strategies in development of crown-containing extraction systems for acidic radioactive waste reprocessing are discussed as well. The examples of the crown-based system applications in the solution of particular radiochemical tasks in USA, Russia, France and China are also presented.

On January 3, 1961, nuclear reactor SL-1 exploded in rural Idaho, spreading radioactive contamination over thousands of acres and killing three men. The army blamed "human error" and a sordid love triangle. Though overshadowed by Three Mile Island, SL-1 remains the only fatal nuclear reactor incident in American history.
Todd Tucker, who first heard the rumors about the Idaho Falls explosion as a trainee in the navy's nuclear program, suspected there was more to the accident than rumors suggested. Poring over hundreds of pages of primary sources and interviewing survivors revealed that the army and its contractors had deliberately obscured the true cause of the accident, which resulted from poor engineering as much as uncontrolled passions. The National Reactor Testing Station, where the meltdown occurred, had been a proving ground where engineers, generals, and admirals attempted to realize the Atomic Age dream of unlimited power--amid the frantic race for nuclear power between the army, the navy, and the air force. The fruit of those ambitious plans included that of the nation's unofficial nuclear patriarch, Admiral Rickover, whose "true submarine," the USS "Nautilus," would forever change naval warfare. But with the meltdown in Idaho came the end of the army's program and the beginning of the navy's long-standing monopoly on military nuclear power. "Atomic America" provides a fast-paced narrative history, advocating caution and accountability in harnessing nuclear energy.

Immobilisation of high level toxic wastes by vitrification is a well established process that has been studied extensively over last 40 years. A suitable glass host is used to dissolve the high level nuclear waste to form a glassy (vitreous) homogeneous product that can be cast into suitable forms, including large glass blocks. The main advantages of the vitrification route include the fact glass is a good solvent for waste, glasses can be processed at reasonably low temperatures, glass is very tolerant of variations in waste composition, glass exhibits reasonable chemical durability, glass is radiation resistant and can accommodate changes occurring during decay of high level nuclear waste constituents. This book analyses the immobilisation of high level toxic wastes through the use of an appropriate glass host.

Do You Know? T. Boone Pickens is investing $10 billion in the biggest wind farm in the world, in Texas? Why not put that money into the nuclear power industry, which is lobbying for UNLIMITED corporate welfare government subsidies that are claimed to be necessary to build ANY new nuclear plants none of which could be online until 2015 at the earliest? The DNA from genetically modified organisms (GMO s), including viruses and other species normally alien to our bodies, has already entered our vital organs, and the bacteria in our intestines, though this was not supposed to happen as a result of the gene-alteration of our foods? One controlled study found that rats fed GMO potatoes developed smaller brains, testicles and livers, as compared to rats fed the unaltered parent line of the very same potatoes. Beware, half USA non-organic sugar may be GMO by 2008 if not stopped by labeling or angry consumers. Italy wants to dump 20,000 tons of its nuclear waste into the USA, with the help of the EnergySolutions corporation? This could be the first big step in making the USA the world s dumping ground for all the world s nuclear waste. Although most Tennesseans don t know it (yet) five landfills in their state are readied now to accept radioactive waste, much of it not to be monitored as it should be. Such waste can enter our industrial and food chains, concentrating in our bra-clips and zippers, for example, while also possibly causing cancer, abortions, mutations, etc., for thousands and millions of years. No safe technique to contain radioactive waste has yet been scientifically devised. The U.S. is about to start an arms race in space, under the cover of Missile Defense Nuclear weapons and nuclear powered launch vehicles could be included in our violation of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 which the USA primarily authored after the Soviet Union fired Sputnik, the first manmade satellite, into Earthly orbit. 163 nations formally reaffirmed opposition to weaponizing space on November 20, 2000. Weapons are now the USA s #1 industrial export, while defense consumes half of USA federal budget ($3 trillion) during economic crisis.

This second edition of a popular textbook is thoroughly revised with around 25% new and updated content.
It provides an introduction to both plasma physics and fusion technology at a level that can be understood by advanced undergraduates and graduate students in the physical sciences and related engineering disciplines.
As such, the contents cover various plasma confinement concepts, the support technologies needed to confine the plasma, and the designs of ITER as well as future fusion reactors.
With end of chapter problems for use in courses.

Many contemporary uses of uranium exploit its unique nuclear properties. Uranium-235 has the distinction of being the only naturally occurring fissile isotope. Uranium-238 is both fissionable by fast neutrons, and fertile (capable of being transmuted to fissile plutonium-239 in a nuclear reactor). An artificial fissile isotope, uranium-233, can be produced from natural thorium and is also important in nuclear technology. While uranium-238 has a small probability to fission spontaneously or when bombarded with fast neutrons, the much higher probability of uranium-235 and to a lesser degree uranium-233 to fission when bombarded with slow neutrons generates the heat in nuclear reactors used as a source of power, and provides the fissile material for nuclear weapons. Both uses rely on the ability of uranium to produce a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Depleted uranium (uranium-238) is used in kinetic energy penetrators and armour plating. This important book presents new research in the field.

In Fueling Our Future, Quakers expert in both the technical and ethical issues, provide key information, critical analysis and thoughtful dialogue on choices for our energy future. Fueling Our Future will assist concerned citizens in their evaluation of public policy and personal choices.

Le parc lectronucl aire fran ais est l'un des plus importants de la plan te. Ils suscitent, comme tout ce qui concerne le nucl aire, de nombreuses interrogations. Ainsi, les grands enjeux autour de ce parc sont des th mes essentiels pour l'autonomie nerg tique sont la s ret, la disponibilit, la radioprotection et la protection de l'environnement. Fruit d'un retour d'exp rience de plus de 1100 campagnes d'irradiation r alis es sur 4 paliers de tranches depuis 1977, le pr sent ouvrage pr sente la d clinaison industrielle et quotidienne de ces enjeux, dans le domaine de l'exploitation des c urs. Les principes et objectifs de la gestion du combustible sont tout d'abord rappel s et illustr s par un historique l'ensemble des gestions mises en uvre sur le parc des r acteurs; l' laboration des plans de chargement est ensuite d crite, et on aborde les contraintes techniques industrielles ainsi que les enjeux conomiques et de s ret . La surveillance du c ur en exploitation est trait e au travers de la description de l'instrumentation des REP et de son utilisation dans le cadre des essais physiques p riodiques et de red marrage. Le volet s ret pr sente les risques encourus par la premi re barri re (gaine du combustible) et expose les principes des syst mes de surveillance et de protection des c urs. La disponibilit et le service au r seau, exigence sp cifique au parc nucl aire fran ais qui assure 80 % de la production nationale d' lectricit, sont illustr s dans le chapitre consacr au pilotage des c urs, avec le rappel des ph nom nes physiques associ s et la description des diff rents modes de pilotage utilis s. Enfin, l'application de la r glementation est abord e partir de quelques l ments des R gles G n rales d'Exploitation li s au combustible. Cet ouvrage int ressera les tudiants en sciences et techniques nucl aires, mais galement la communaut des ing nieurs et techniciens qui optimisent, exploitent et surveillent les nombreux r acteurs eau pressuris e du parc lectronucl aire fran ais.

High-energy catalytic processes operated in fixed bed reactors are widely used in many fields of chemical engineering, so the improvement of specific intensities of such processes to minimise the equipment size and related capital cost, to enhance the reliability is of great importance. The specific features of such processes are reactant concentration gradients through the bed length which may cause considerable temperature gradients in exo-endothermic reactions; therefore, the catalysts used for the existing and innovative high-energy catalytic processes must meet severe requirements. The catalytic processes in fixed bed reactors are rather complicated and usually include the chemical reactions, the processes of mass and heat transfer and reactant adsorption/desorption. As a result, a specially organised catalytic fixed bed with non-uniform properties (gradient catalysts) may appear more appropriate in some cases than the uniform one. At present, the ideas of gradient catalysts are used for creation the new type of after-burning catalysts, for microchannel reactors. In the theoretical investigation the attention is being increasingly focused on the complex approach based on the optimisation of heat and mass transfer and of the activity of the whole catalyst bed through the optimal bed packing, granule shape, distribution of the active component, heat conductivity etc., i.e. through creation of some optimal gradient medium for conducting the catalytic process. Fundamentals for optimisation of the spatial bed structure, in particular for optimisation of the active component distribution through the bed length, are developed intensively with regard to synthesis of new materials and creation of new methods for arranging reaction beds (for example, in microchannel reactors). The authors of the present book are the first who propose to use the variational approach for solving these problems, so they theoretically formulated the problem of a catalytic process optimisation by means of non-uniform spatial active sites distribution and obtained the analytic solutions for several cases

An informed look at the myths and fears surrounding nuclear energy, and a practical, politically realistic solution to global warming and our energy needs. Faced by the world's oil shortages and curious about alternative energy sources, Gwyneth Cravens skeptically sets out to find the truth about nuclear energy. Her conclusion: it is a totally viable and practical solution to global warming. In the end, we see that if we are to care for subsequent generations, embracing nuclear energy is an ethical imperative.

Dans le but d'aider les tudiants, physiciens et ing nieurs nucl aires suceptibles d'avoir besoin d'un cours de G nie Atomique rigoureux et p dagogique, cet ouvrage nous pr sente les connaissances de base n cessaires la compr hension et la mod lisation des ph nom nes thermohydrauliques monophasiques et diphasiques rencontr s lors de la conception ou du fonctionnement des r acteurs nucl aires. Les coulements et transferts de chaleur dans les coulements diphasiques sont en particulier pr sent s en d tail. La plupart des chapitres comportent des exemples d'application des concepts tudi s des probl mes de g nie nucl aire, et des exercices destin s ma triser ces concepts. Ces exemples et exercices ont t le plus souvent adapt s de probl mes pos s lors de contr les des connaissances associ s au cours de Thermohydraulique des r acteurs du G nie Atomique. Chaque exemple d'application comporte une solution d taill e. Les connaissances math matiques requises ne vont gu re au-del de celles enseign es dans les coles d'ing nieurs. Les chapitres sur les caract ristiques thermohydrauliques des r acteurs et sur la conception et le dimensionnement thermique des r acteurs ont t r dig s par Patrick Raymond (CEA). Le chapitre traitant de la thermique de l' l ment combustible a t crit en collaboration avec Claude Renault (CEA) et celui sur le blocage des coulements diphasiques en collaboration avec Michel Giot (Universit Catholique de Louvain). Enfin le chapitre sur la thermohydraulique des r acteurs de propulsion navale a t r dig en collaboration avec Laurent Mahias ( cole des Applications Militaires de l' nergie Atomique).

The increasing global concerns about carbon emission and secure energy generation spurred a renewed interest in nuclear energy, alongside with development of advanced nuclear reactor designs and fuel cycles. This book proposes several solutions to improve the cycle of a Light Water Reactor (LWR). It focuses in particular on development of fuel cycles and operational strategies for the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS), an advanced LWR with integral design developed by an international consortium led by Westinghouse. The solutions proposed combine proven LWR technology with innovative engineering, therefore enabling IRIS, and the larger class of advanced LWRs, to meet aggressive licensing schedule without forgoing key economic and safety requirements for the fuel cycle of an advanced plant. Since the study has been performed through a joint collaboration with the nuclear industry, focus is maintained not only on the quality and innovation of the solutions proposed but also on their effective applicability in the near future. For these reasons, this book will appeal both the researcher and the engineer interested in the future of the nuclear energy.

The Hanford Site, in south-eastern Washington State, is a former nuclear defence production facility. A groundwater plume containing uranium, originating from a combination of purposeful discharges of wastewater to cribs, trenches, and ponds, along with some accidental leaks and spills with nuclear fuel fabrication activities, has persisted beneath the Hanford Site 300 Area for many years. The uranium plume is just upstream of the city of Richland municipal water supply intake on the Columbia River. Despite the cessation of uranium releases and the removal of shallow vadose zone source materials, the remedial action objective to lower the concentration of groundwater uranium to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) concentration of 30 g/L has not been achieved within the anticipated 10-year time period. Despite several decades of studies, effective uranium cleanup strategies remain elusive for contamination in deep subsurface settings that prevail at a number of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites in the western United States. Numerous strategies have been proposed including iron barriers, soluble reductive agents, microbial stabilisation via reduction and precipitation, and emplacement of solid phosphate barriers. While these all have merit, each encounters limitations for deep subsurface remediation in an oxidative environment (Peterson et al. 2005; Wellman et al. 2005b; Wellman et al. 2006c; McGrail and Mattigod 1999; DOE 2005a; DOE. 2005b). Polyphosphate technology has been demonstrated to delay the precipitation of phosphate phases for controlled in situ formation of stabile phosphate phases which control the long-term fate of uranium (Wellman et al. 2005b; Wellman et al. 2006c). Precipitation of phosphate minerals occurs when phosphate compounds degrade in water to yield the orthophosphate molecule (PO43 ). Accordingly, a detailed understanding of polyphosphate degradation and reaction kinetics, in the context of site-specific information, allows the technology to be tailored as a time-released source of phosphate for direct subsurface treatment without a drastic change in hydraulic conductivity of the target aquifer. A site-specific treatability test was conducted to optimise polyphosphate remediation technology for implementation through a pilot-scale field technology demonstration to accelerate monitored natural attenuation of the uranium plume within the Hanford 300 Area aquifer. A focused application of polyphosphate was conducted in a source or "hot spot" area to reduce the inventory of available uranium that contributes to the groundwater plume through direct precipitation of uranyl-phosphate solids and secondary containment via precipitation of apatite acting as a long-term sorbent for uranium. The general treatability testing approach consisted of initial site characterisation and set-up, a polyphosphate injection test, and post-treatment performance assessment. Fundamental science studies were conducted with site- specific sediment and groundwater to develop an effective remediation scheme for deployment of polyphosphate technology. In addition to remediating a portion of the plume, the data from this test provide valuable information for designing a full-scale remediation of uranium in the aquifer at the 300 Area of the Hanford Site. Results provide a detailed understanding of the fundamental underpinnings necessary to evaluate the efficacy and potential use of polyphosphate technology at other sites with varying geochemical and hydrodynamic conditions.

Nuclear energy is the energy that is directly released from the atomic nucleus. The conversion of nuclear mass to energy is consistent with the mass-energy equivalence formula AEE = AEm.c(2), in which AEE = energy release, AEm = mass defect, and c = the speed of light in a vacuum (a physical constant).Nuclear energy is released by three exoenergetic (or exothermic) processes: Radioactive decay, where a neutron or proton in the radioactive nucleus decays spontaneously by emitting either particles, electromagnetic radiation (gamma rays), neutrinos (or all of them) Fusion, two atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus Fission, the breaking of an heavy nucleus into two (more rarely three) lighter nuclei This book presents the latest research in the field from around the globe.

Section titles are ...(1) Temperature Detectors ...(2) Pressure Detectors ...(3) Level Detectors ...(4) Flow Detectors ...(5) Position Indicators ...(6) Radiation Detectors ...(7) Process Controls.

Australia is at a crossroads- do we need to embrace a nuclear future? In Reaction Time, Ian Lowe examines the science and the politics of nuclear power, as well as the feasible alternatives in an era of global warming. Lowe discusses his one-time belief in nuclear power and what led to the faltering of that belief. He engages with the leading environmentalists, like James Lovelock, who advocate going nuclear, as well as with the less savoury aspects of the Australian politicking. He discusses whether other countries might need to use nuclear power, even if Australia doesn't. He offers an authoritative survey of the leading alternatives for Australia - from 'hot rocks' to 'clean coal'. Above all, he explains why taking the nuclear option would be a decisive step in the wrong direction - economically, environmentally, politically and socially.

This book provides important research in materials relevant to nuclear fission and fusion reactors and high power accelerator technologies, and in closely related aspects of materials science and engineering.